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Letters Patent No. 81,984, datedSepte-mber 1868. i

IMPROVEMENT IN SUSPNDRS..

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, C. H. CLEVELANmiof Selma, Dallas county, State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspenders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the shoulder-straps as united before being attached to the leather.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the same. i

Figure 3 is -a plan view ofA the shoulder-straps when attached to the leather.

Figure 4 is a plan view, showing the method of lacing the shoulder-straps together.

On the 8th day of October, 1867, a patent was issued'to'nle bythe United States Patent Oilice for an vimprovement in Suspenders. The principle involved in that patent, constituting as it, did the gist ofthe nvenV tion, and which is fully stated in the specification which accompanies the same, is that the shoulder-straps are so arranged that they passin the rear of the lungs, andat the same time arie united together at a point, and in' such a manner as to form a fork, being sufliciently far beneath the armpit to render it impossible for the straps to bebrought in such close contact with the cavity or under portion of thearm as to impede in any degree the freest circulation and respiration. l

Since the issue of my patent, hundreds have used the Suspenders, and all fully attest not only the value and entire practicability of my invention, but that the same'does, in actual use, possess all the advantages claimed.

Still, a few isolated cases have been met with of persons who are exceedingly weak-breasted, or very round shouldered. In lsuch cases it seemed desirable to havethe bracing properties'of the suspender increased,.so as to render the same less yielding, and consequently augment the power of the resisting force of the same, and thus compel the body to be thrown forward and occupy aperpendicular position, no matter how great the natural 'tendency to stoop may be. i v

'To render my invention entirely applicable to all cases, and especially to meet the wants of the class of persons alluded to, t'. e., to furnish them with a suspender constructed on the same principle as my patent, but so arrangedv that its bracing properties can, at pleasure, be greatly increased, and at the same time being entirely susceptible of adjustment, the degree of pressure can readily be regulated, or, when desired, entirely withdrawn.`

To attain 'the foregoing result is one of .the objects of my present invention, and to accomplish which I insert in the shoulder-straps, and in that portion of the same which is intended to bei in the rear, when applied to the human form, and immediately below where my patented Suspenders, as they are nowworn, cross, `a series of eyelets suilicient in number to allow the straps to be laced and brought together, bythe ordinary corset-lace or other cord, to a point, when the form is erect, which will be immediatelyabove the strap of the'pantaloons or other article of dress.

Another object of my invention is to'overcome what experience has demonstrated is a positive defect when the Suspenders are manufactured as described in my patent of October 8, 1867. I there describe that I attach the shoulder-straps to two pieces of leathexgof diamond, lozenged, or other convenient form, by passing` the same through openings cut in the upper portion of the leather, and which are at right angles to each other.

In fully testing my Suspenders as manufactured for the market, this plan of attachment hasproven to be entirely impracticable, and consequently most objectionable.

The perspiration from the body, coming in contact with the leather, has a constant tendencyto rot and consequently weaken the same, and will soon cause the bearing-surface for the strap,'which is of necessity very narrow, to tear out. l i p And again, independent'of the reasonV above stated, provided thelleather were not brought in contact with any destructive agent, still the constant weight and strain of supporting the article of dress would soon cause the loop to stretchand give to such an extent that after a few months weer the samewould pull out.

I obviate this diicu'lty by inserting one vend 'of each shoulder-strap between the open ends of a. short loop of webbing. This forms three thicknesses of webbing, which I insert between pieces of leather, and firmly sew the same together.

In the upperA portion of the webbing-loop, I insert a single or double metallic loop, through which I pass `the freel end of the shoulder-strap, a-ndsecure the same precisely in the same manner that I pass and secure the 4shoulder-straps in -the openings formed in the upper portion of the leather, as described in my patent of 8th yOctober, i867'. Y W

To enable others skilledin the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction.

A A are two pieces of leather, or other suitable material, of lozenged, diamond, on. any other convenient form. In these pieces A A, I cut a button-hole, et. i

` is a short loop of webbing, onlyof length-suicient to furnish a firm and secure bearing for attachment to the leather, A, and to extend but a short distance above the upper edge of the same. In the looped end of the piece of webbing b, I insert a metallic loop, c. l

B B are two shoulder-straps, and are constructed of elastic webbing or other suitable material. One end of these shoulder-.straps B B is inserted between the loose ends of the webbing-loop The three thicknesses of webbing thus formed are securely sewed to theleather, A, and having a triangular bearing therein. Iusually,

vbefore sewing the leather and webbing together, apply a thin piece of leather, of shield or heart-shape, over the ends of the webbing, and then sew tbe whole together. The other end ofthe shoulder-strap B is passed through thlemetallic loop c, and secured to a slide, C, on the strap B. By means of this slide C the shoulder-straps can be lengthened or shortened, as occasion requires.

old are a Series of eyelets, arranged in Athe shoulder-straps B B. Through these eyelets d, I insert a corset-laee, `D, or other likecorch'by means of which .the power of the bracing-properties ofthe Suspenders can be increased 'at pleasure, and thus alfording any degree of resisting force that may be'deemed desirable, and one that can be augmented or diminished at ,the option of the wearer.v i

'pI-Iavng thus fully described my invention, what I claim as newtherein, 'and desire toA secure by Letters Patent of the United States,` isi The suspender or shoulder-brace, composed of tworsingle straps, B B, each passing from its attaching strap at theone side over the shoulder to the attaching strap on the reverse side of the body, when shoulder-straps are provided with eyelets d oZ and a bracing cord, D, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my naine to this speciication in tbe presence of two subscribing witnesses.'

' o. H. CLEVELAND.

Witnesses:

JOHN D. VBLoon, 'JOHN S. HoLLINGsHEAD. 

